Hey, all you elementary media specialists, a.k.a. librarians (for Nada), you know we're unique. No one does it quite like us. We have things that the other schools just don't have to deal with i.e. story time, being part of the specials rotation, lots of PR work to get teachers to collaborate with us, and as a fellow teacher said, "Ya'll do lots of froo, froo stuff to hook those kids!", etc. Let's use this site to discuss issues that just relate to us. This will help us to see what others are doing, to help us to trouble shoot problems that we may all be having, and to keep a united front when necessary. A bunch of us stayed after the meeting today to discuss the following issues:
Closing the media center for Inventory
All student library books are due back to the library on May 23rd. We do not have checkouts for students after that date. Teachers may checkout books until the last day of school. I encourage them to get a large number of books so they have a classroom library for kids to read those last 2 weeks. It takes us (at the very least) 2 weeks just to get the books back from the kids and the money for lost or damaged books, not to mention inventory. I suspect that all of you have this same date (the last 2 weeks of school) as your last checkout date. I do not close the library to research or kids coming in to read. I also continue to read stories to classes that come in. Elise (AES)
Being part of the specials
I am part of the specials rotation 1 day a week for only 1 grade level. I teach the 5th grade on Wednesday afternoons from 1:15 - 2:15. The rest of the week is open for collaborative lessons with other classes, storytime, research help and other activities. Every year I get more teachers involved with collaborative classes. It started with 1 teacher in the 3rd grade, then the entire 3rd grade, and has spread to 2nd this year. I usually only get them for library media skills, but few have asked for help with other subjects this year. It is difficult to meet with all the grade levels at their common planning time since I am usually doing storytime or other activity. Word of mouth is my best advertisement. I would welcome any suggestions for improving collaboration that you have.
FYI: I checked my circulation statistics for the past few years and circulation has increased as open library time has increased ( I accounted for the increase in enrollment.) Teachers and students know that they can come to the library any day any time (except Wed. from 1:15 - 2:15) to listen to a story, read quietly, check out books, or do research. (I think my checkout rules have helped as well...see note below.) Elise (AES)
How many books we allow teachers to check out at a time and for how long?
I allow everyone to check out 2 books except for kindergarten students or unless a teacher requests they only get one (some 1st grade teachers opt for this for the first few checkouts). Kindergarten usually checks out 1 book until the teachers and I feel they can handle caring for and keeping up with 2 books. I have absolutely no due dates for the kids with the exception of Thanksgiving break, Christmas break, and spring break. The children just return the books when they have finished reading them. This way they are not trained to come once a week. I haven't noticed that I have lost more books, but the kids checkout much more frequently. I have some that checkout twice a day, but they usually progress to chapter books quickly and then checkout less often. I tried allowing books to go home over Thanksgiving, but I lost WAY to many books that way. Elise (AES)
Do teachers have to pay for their lost/damaged books?
Not in the past. We threatened to make them pay last year, but didn't do it. I am ambivalent about this...I was a classroom teacher for a long time. I lost a few books over the years, but I really think it was a couple of my students who took them. I didn't want to have to pay for that (especially with the price of hardcover books). One of my media specialists allowed me to find another hardcover copy and replace the book that way. I went on half.com and got it at a great price. Elise (AES)
We all want ideas for fun (and easy) ways for PR to bring the kids into the media center
Elementary Media Specialists
Hey, all you elementary media specialists, a.k.a. librarians (for Nada), you know we're unique. No one does it quite like us. We have things that the other schools just don't have to deal with i.e. story time, being part of the specials rotation, lots of PR work to get teachers to collaborate with us, and as a fellow teacher said, "Ya'll do lots of froo, froo stuff to hook those kids!", etc. Let's use this site to discuss issues that just relate to us. This will help us to see what others are doing, to help us to trouble shoot problems that we may all be having, and to keep a united front when necessary. A bunch of us stayed after the meeting today to discuss the following issues:- Closing the media center for Inventory
All student library books are due back to the library on May 23rd. We do not have checkouts for students after that date. Teachers may checkout books until the last day of school. I encourage them to get a large number of books so they have a classroom library for kids to read those last 2 weeks. It takes us (at the very least) 2 weeks just to get the books back from the kids and the money for lost or damaged books, not to mention inventory. I suspect that all of you have this same date (the last 2 weeks of school) as your last checkout date. I do not close the library to research or kids coming in to read. I also continue to read stories to classes that come in. Elise (AES)- Being part of the specials
I am part of the specials rotation 1 day a week for only 1 grade level. I teach the 5th grade on Wednesday afternoons from 1:15 - 2:15. The rest of the week is open for collaborative lessons with other classes, storytime, research help and other activities. Every year I get more teachers involved with collaborative classes. It started with 1 teacher in the 3rd grade, then the entire 3rd grade, and has spread to 2nd this year. I usually only get them for library media skills, but few have asked for help with other subjects this year. It is difficult to meet with all the grade levels at their common planning time since I am usually doing storytime or other activity. Word of mouth is my best advertisement. I would welcome any suggestions for improving collaboration that you have.FYI: I checked my circulation statistics for the past few years and circulation has increased as open library time has increased ( I accounted for the increase in enrollment.) Teachers and students know that they can come to the library any day any time (except Wed. from 1:15 - 2:15) to listen to a story, read quietly, check out books, or do research. (I think my checkout rules have helped as well...see note below.) Elise (AES)
- How many books we allow teachers to check out at a time and for how long?
I allow everyone to check out 2 books except for kindergarten students or unless a teacher requests they only get one (some 1st grade teachers opt for this for the first few checkouts). Kindergarten usually checks out 1 book until the teachers and I feel they can handle caring for and keeping up with 2 books. I have absolutely no due dates for the kids with the exception of Thanksgiving break, Christmas break, and spring break. The children just return the books when they have finished reading them. This way they are not trained to come once a week. I haven't noticed that I have lost more books, but the kids checkout much more frequently. I have some that checkout twice a day, but they usually progress to chapter books quickly and then checkout less often. I tried allowing books to go home over Thanksgiving, but I lost WAY to many books that way. Elise (AES)- Do teachers have to pay for their lost/damaged books?
Not in the past. We threatened to make them pay last year, but didn't do it. I am ambivalent about this...I was a classroom teacher for a long time. I lost a few books over the years, but I really think it was a couple of my students who took them. I didn't want to have to pay for that (especially with the price of hardcover books). One of my media specialists allowed me to find another hardcover copy and replace the book that way. I went on half.com and got it at a great price. Elise (AES)